Collapsible support for fluoroscopic units



c, 3K, M? w. w. MCCAW COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT FOR FLUOROSCOPIC UNITS FiledApril 5, 1938 w MUM 6% Hi m W 5 2 4/1 LA 2 j y 24ff0r7zey.

Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES COLLAPSIBLE SUPPORT FOR FLUORO-SCOPIC UNITS William W. McCaw, Washington, D. C.

Application April 5, 1938, Serial No. 200,111

4 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'700. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to supports, but more particularly to acollapsible supporting frame for use in making fluoroscopic examina-'tions.

One object of the invention is to provide a collapsible supportadaptable for general use in the Army field hospitals.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support of the classdescribed comprising a collapsible frame that may be easily stored andtransported, and one which may be used primarily as a litter support andmounting for a fluoroscopic unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible support ofthe class described which is durable, rigid, of economical construction,and adapted, when folded, to fit within a standard field chest.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beunderstood from the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the support in assembledposition, showing the tube box, lower portion of screen carrier, andlitter in dotted outline;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the end members;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an end member, showing the manner offolding the same;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the latch adapted to retain the endmembers in extended position;

and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal elevation of one of the side rails.

Briefly stated, the support comprises two hingeably foldable rectangularend members, each of which are provided with diagonally inclinedretaining slots adapted to engage longitudinally disposed spacingmembers to provide a frame.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be noted that the two rectangularend members or frames, designated by the numeral H), are composed ofupper and lower V-shaped units II and I2, respectively, which are unitedcentrally by the hinges l3 and latch I4.

The upper and lower units comprising these end members Iii which are ofidentical construction, may be formed of wooden frames reinforced at thecorners by metallic plates l5, as illustrated .in Fig. 1,;or framesconstructed of any suitable material may be used. The sides of the upperand lower units are provided with diagonally slotted openings l6,reinforced on either side by triangular plates l1, havingcorrespondingly cut 5 openings which register with the slotted openingsto, said reinforced slotted openings being adapted to form seats toretain the ends of the laterally rzlgllsposed longitudinal spacingmembers l8, l9, and

The side members 9 of the lower units l2 are continued below thetransverse member 2| to provide extended supports or feet 22 for theattachment of the hinges 23, to thus furnish an anchoring means for theend frames which may be 15 screwed to the floor when the support is inuse and may be folded back out of the way when the end frames are incollapsed position for storage 01' shipping.

On the upper edges of the end frames l [I which 20 support the litterframe 24, shown in dotted outline, are provided stops 25 to preventlateral slipping of the litter. The spacing members [8, l9 and 20 alsofunction as longitudinal tracks on which are movably mounted tube box 26and screen 25 carrier, the lower portion of which is shown in dottedoutline and indicated by the numeral 21.

The longitudinal spacing members l8, l9 and 20 may be made up of aplurality of threadably connected sections 28,, 29 and 39 and providedwith 30 a screw clamp 3| at each end. The clamps comprise an engagingscrew 32, a clamping head 33 and an operating handle 34. The screwclamps areadapted to retain the longitudinal spacing members withintheslotted openings IS in the 35 end members ill.

As stated above, the upper and lower units H and i2 of the end membersii] are hingeably connected so that they may be folded.- In order toretain these members ill in extended position a 40 latch 14 is providedwhich comprises upper and lower attaching plates 35 and 36 respectively,which are fastened to the upper and lower units l i and 12, a hookmember 31 formed integral with said upper plate 35, an operating lever38 pivot- 45 ally connected to said lower plate 36 and a link 39pivotally connected to the lever and adapted to engage the hook. Thistype of latch which is used on trunks and suitcases is especially welladapted for the purpose set forth.

The support is made up entirely of interlocking and fold-able memberswhich are united to form a rigid frame adapted to support a litter andpatient, the X-ray tube box and fluoroscopic screen support.

Although in the foregoing certain elements have been described as bestadapted to perform the functions allotted to them, nevertheless it is tobe understood that certain changes may be resorted to within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of theprinciples of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A support comprising vertically disposed foldable end frames,provided with slotted openings, latches adapted to retain said endframes in extended position, and longitudinal spacing members formed ofthreadably connected sections, and means for locking the opposite endsof said spacing members within the slots of the end frames.

2. A foldable support comprising vertically disposed rectangular endframes formed of hingeably connected sections, said end frames beingprovided with slotted openings disposed diagonally downward to theupright members of said end sections, latching means for retaining theend frames in extended position, longitudinal spacing members, formed ofa plurality of sections in threaded engagement with each other, andmeans, in threaded engagement with said spacing members, fitted withinsaid slotted openings to clamp the same to said end frames.

3. A support of the class described, comprising a pair of rectangularspaced end frames, having diagonally extending seats formed in the outeredges thereof, each end frame including an upper and a lower U-shapedunit, the ends of the legs of the units being hingeably united, wherebythe said two units are foldable one upon the other, and latching meansin connection with the respective units for normally retaining thelatter in extended position, spacing members extending between the endframes, and means fitted within the seats formed in the outer edges ofsaid end frames for clampingly connecting the ends of said spacingmembers to said end frames.

4. A support of the class described, comprising a pair of rectangularspaced end frames, having diagonally extending seats formed in the outeredges thereof, each end frame including an upper and a lower U-shapedunit, the ends of the legs of the units being hingeably united, wherebythe said two units are foldable one upon the other, latching means inconnection with the respective units for normally retaining the latterin extended position, spacing members composed of detachable sections,the extremities of the outermost sections being internally threaded,clamps provided with a threaded stem, said stems being fitted within theseats in said end frames and engaged with the internal threads of saidoutermost sections to connect the spacing members to said end frames.

WILLIAM W. McAW.

